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| Tigran Petrosian is a titan of chess history. All agree he was a genius of strategy, defence and sacrifice, but didn’t he take too many draws? Possibly so, but when Petrosian selected and annotated his best games, that flaw disappeared, leaving only brilliance and profound chess understanding. As Garry Kasparov said: “My games with the 9th World Champion broadened my understanding of chess. Had it not been for these two defeats, I would possibly not have reached the top in chess.” This book is an English translation of a Russian classic that is a favourite of many grandmasters, including Mihail Marin and Levon Aronian. A literal translation of the Russian title might be ‘The Strategy of Soundness’ but Python Strategy is a better fit for Petrosian’s more ambitious games. As another World Champion, Max Euwe, once wrote: “Petrosian is not a tiger that pounces on its prey, but rather a python that smothers its victim.” Tigran Petrosian was World Champion from 1963 to 1969, as well as a superb team player for the Soviet Union. In Olympiads he won nine team gold medals and six individual gold medals, winning 78 games, drawing 50 and losing just once. ISBN 978-1-78483-003-8 - 392 pages - Published 17 June 2015 Reviews"What is it about the book that I loved so much? The annotations by Petrosian were usually done immediately after his game had ended for magazines or newspapers. This meant that his annotations were mainly word based with the inclusion of deep variations only when required. Such kind of annotations may not be perfect (like computer analysis) but they teach you a lot about the game. It's like getting to peek into the mind of a great player... This book helps you to not only know about one of the greatest legends of the game but in doing so you will unknowing experience a sudden rise in your positional understanding." IM Sagar Shah (full review) "Python Strategy, which contains numerous interviews of Petrosian, has over 100 deeply annotated games... Those looking for insights into the mind one of the most original World Champions of all time will find Python Strategy a fitting tribute and an excellent value." IM John Donaldson "This book contains a significant amount of explanation of the thought process of the author, his game analytical skills, his profound thinking of the game... The author has made it a point to include some experience or narration necessary before each chapter. This gives the readers clear insights into what the 9th world champion thought at that time... This is such a wonderful book, that I recommend it to everyone." Chessarticle blog (full review) "Python Strategy is a collection of narrative and entertaining content on the life and games of tenth world champion Tigran Petrosian... This work is recommended for the chess friend who likes to see well-commented games for entertainment as well as to improve his playing strength, as well as for those who would like to learn more about the former world champion." Uwe Bekemann "Python Strategy is undoubtedly the new standard work on the 'defensive artist' Petrosian. Even 31 years after his death and in the era of engines, Petrosian's games, analysis and verbal explanations provide valuable advice for every chessplayer." "It is beyond doubt that Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian (1929-1984) belongs to the very greatest part of chess history... The title Python Strategy is not a literal translation of the Russian title, but is based on a comment by Euwe that many opponents of Petrosian's chess must have felt like the strangled victims of the python." Bab Wilders, Nederlands Dagblad Alexander Hilverda, SCHACH |
Tigran Petrosian is a titan of chess history. All agree he was a genius of strategy, defence and sacrifice, but didn’t he take too many draws? Possibly so, but when Petrosian selected and annotated his best games, that flaw disappeared, leaving only brilliance and profound chess understanding. As Garry Kasparov said: “My games with the 9th World Champion broadened my understanding of chess. Had it not been for these two defeats, I would possibly not have reached the top in chess.”
This book is an English translation of a Russian classic that is a favourite of many grandmasters, including Mihail Marin and Levon Aronian. A literal translation of the Russian title might be ‘The Strategy of Soundness’ but Python Strategy is a better fit for Petrosian’s more ambitious games. As another World Champion, Max Euwe, once wrote: “Petrosian is not a tiger that pounces on its prey, but rather a python that smothers its victim.”
Tigran Petrosian was World Champion from 1963 to 1969, as well as a superb team player for the Soviet Union. In Olympiads he won nine team gold medals and six individual gold medals, winning 78 games, drawing 50 and losing just once.
ISBN 978-1-78483-003-8 - 392 pages - Published 17 June 2015
"What is it about the book that I loved so much? The annotations by Petrosian were usually done immediately after his game had ended for magazines or newspapers. This meant that his annotations were mainly word based with the inclusion of deep variations only when required. Such kind of annotations may not be perfect (like computer analysis) but they teach you a lot about the game. It's like getting to peek into the mind of a great player...
This book helps you to not only know about one of the greatest legends of the game but in doing so you will unknowing experience a sudden rise in your positional understanding."
IM Sagar Shah (full review)
"Python Strategy, which contains numerous interviews of Petrosian, has over 100 deeply annotated games... Those looking for insights into the mind one of the most original World Champions of all time will find Python Strategy a fitting tribute and an excellent value."
IM John Donaldson
"This book contains a significant amount of explanation of the thought process of the author, his game analytical skills, his profound thinking of the game... The author has made it a point to include some experience or narration necessary before each chapter. This gives the readers clear insights into what the 9th world champion thought at that time... This is such a wonderful book, that I recommend it to everyone."
Chessarticle blog (full review)
"Python Strategy is a collection of narrative and entertaining content on the life and games of tenth world champion Tigran Petrosian... This work is recommended for the chess friend who likes to see well-commented games for entertainment as well as to improve his playing strength, as well as for those who would like to learn more about the former world champion."
Uwe Bekemann
"Python Strategy is undoubtedly the new standard work on the 'defensive artist' Petrosian. Even 31 years after his death and in the era of engines, Petrosian's games, analysis and verbal explanations provide valuable advice for every chessplayer."
"It is beyond doubt that Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian (1929-1984) belongs to the very greatest part of chess history... The title Python Strategy is not a literal translation of the Russian title, but is based on a comment by Euwe that many opponents of Petrosian's chess must have felt like the strangled victims of the python."
Bab Wilders, Nederlands Dagblad
Alexander Hilverda, SCHACH
